


Humorous High-Wire Act

by khughes830



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s04e20 Evidence of Things Not Seen, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-06
Updated: 2005-07-06
Packaged: 2019-05-30 09:40:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15094094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khughes830/pseuds/khughes830
Summary: What if Josh had believed Donna's 'high-act'





	Humorous High-Wire Act

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Humorous High-Wire Act**

**by: Kathleen**

**Character(s):** Various characters from Evidence of Things Not Seen  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** Romance, Post-Ep  
**Rating:** CHILD  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, but bring back Joe Quincy! I just love that character!!  
**Summary:** What if Josh had believed Donna's 'high-act'. Post episode 'Evidence of Things Not Seen'.  
**Spoiler:** Evidence of Things Not Seen   
**Author's Note:** This has to be, like, my second favorite episode (BRING BACK JOE QUINCY!) and I've been trying to write something about this episode and whether or not I thought Donna was being serious with what she was saying (and in my world, yes, yes she was!!). 

Tonight was supposed to be MY night – poker night, a night to FINALLY blow off some steam and now I've got to do this interview… wait a minute, what the hell is Donna rambling on about… 

"…there are some who would consider him handsome, I don't personally 'cause you're the only one I think is handsome…" 

REALLY?!? 

"… here, around the office, so that other people wouldn't suspect, I'd pretend that I thought this guy was handsome if you hired him. Of course, all along it would be a lie, because of how handsome you are… and powerful." 

"Your sense of humor's a bit of a high wire act isn't it? You're really trying to thread the needle." 

"And half of it you don't even get." 

WAIT ONE DAMN MINUTE!?! How can she say something like that and then just walk away… wait… what did she say… I don't get it… is she… does she mean… yeah, cause I'm going to able to concentrate on anything this guy has to say. 

"Hector?" 

"Excuse me?" I take a quick minute to size him up. 'Wait, maybe I'm going to get lucky…" 

"Just a minute." 

I open the door as Donna runs up to me. 

"Are you saying its Hector you're saying is good looking or is it…? 

"This guy! This guy." 

"Okay." 

I size him up again as I sit back down. 'Joe Quincy'… yeah, right, not a chance in hell buddy! 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Now, I know that I get jealous. I may be a fool, but I'm not an idiot (no matter how many times CJ likes to call me an idiot). I realized awhile ago that what I feel toward Donna is more than a crush (yeah, kind of silly – a forty year-old man with a crush) and now I guess you could say I'm just waiting for the right moment. Yeah, anyone with a brain would have said 'stupid – wasn't that moment the night of the Inauguration, when you had her on your lap and she was all wrapped around you, snuggling against you, the two of you all dressed up and in very close quarters!' but for me, that's just the night I decided I couldn't wait any longer. Granted, it's been like, what, 2 months, but in good time, my friends, in good time. 

I've been waiting to see about my Donna – yeah, that night in the cab was amazing. I know she thought so was well, the way she snuggled and whispered in my ear in the cab and the way she stayed attached to my hip during the night – granted, that may have had more to do with my arm around her shoulders, but hey, whatever gets the job done! 

It was have been more than an amazing night if it hadn't been for Khundu – is it a little selfish to be irritated at a global situation that ended up ruining my night with Donnatella Moss? Yeah, I thought so too, but I wanted to ask. But tonight, it's like Donna has installed a big billboard in the building that lights up in neon saying 'HEY JOSH – GET A FREAKIN' CLUE ALREADY!!' Who knows, just maybe… 

I guess I should pay attention to what this gomer is saying. I'm about to open my mouth when I see Secret Service run past the room. 

"Hold on a second, Joe." And I walk out. 

"Mr. Lyman, we need you stay put. We're in a crash." 

"What happened?" 

"JOSH!" Leo came running up to us. 

"Leo, a crash?" 

"Someone shot at the White House from the sidewalk, hit the press room. We're in a crash." 

"Yeah, got that much." 

Leo looked in the room. "Who's that?" 

"Joe Quincy – he's here for Ainsley's job." 

"OK. Go back in." 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

"You're getting to see a show tonight." 

"Everything alright?" 

"Yeah." 

"What happened?" 

"A guy shot at the building a couple of times with a rifle." 

"Somebody shot at the White House?" 

"Yeah." 

"From where?" 

"The street. Pennsylvania Avenue." 

"Was anyone hurt?" 

God, where was Donna? I hope she wasn't… I need to go find her, I think. "Hmm?" 

"Was anyone hurt?" 

"No, but we're in a crash. A lockdown. They're not going to let you leave the West Wing." 

"I heard. You know, I though I heard what sounded like gunshots when we were talking before, but I didn't... Did you hear the shots?" 

"No, but I heard a brass quintet playing "The First Noel," so I just assumed somebody somewhere was locked and loaded." 

"You know, not for nothing, but the people that I talk to don't believe that story, and the people that you'd like don't care." 

Wow. Now, it's not everyday that I get to hear that from anyone. Even the people around her, my friends, seem to try to do their best to ignore it. Yeah, I know they worry about me, but I know it's hard. They are never sure if something is going to get to me. I'm not stupid – Washington loves good gossip, so I knew that that wasn't any big secret, but to hear someone not just acknowledge it, but o say that people don't seem to care… maybe he's not so bad, but still, I need to be on my guard… Donna thinks he's cute… or she thinks that others will think he's cute but she only finds me cute… remind me later to get that sorted out or I will never be able to sleep tonight. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Joe and I are talking when Donna knocks on the door. She's got panic written all over her face. She's concerned about me… god, when did that start making my heart beat a little bit faster… yeah, probably about the time she called me handsome and powerful. 

"That's my assistant, Donna." 

I watch Joe wave at her. He doesn't seem to be checking her out and she's staring at me. I smile slightly at her. 

"Yeah, we met before." 

"Excuse me a sec." 

She looks like she just wants to hug me when I walk out into the hall. Lord knows all I want to do is grab her and get the hell out of this building. 

"So what's been going on?" 

"You were in the mess?" Please, please, please tell me that you were nowhere near the shooting. 

"They kept me down there until just now. C.J.'s alright?" 

"Yeah." 

"Where were you?" 

"I was in here." 

"Do you want anything?" 

"No." 

"You know, I'm going to get you some water or something." Please don't walk away from me yet – just give me one more second. 

"I'm all right." 

She asks me some questions about Joe and I'm pretty sure I made some kind of baseball reference, but in my head, I was thinking that she wasn't kidding before, and I made a stupid crack about her humor being a high-wire act. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid' I thought to myself. 

She wants me to call Stanley. I love that she worries about me like that, that she wants to make sure that I'm well taken care of. I just love… well, would I be presumptuous to say that I just love her and everything about her? Yeah, I didn't think so either. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Did I really just go off on a Donna tangent in front of Joe? Oh god, he's got this look on his face. She's really gotten in my head tonight. If she hadn't of started in on 'handsome and powerful' I would have been fine. Now, I've got this stranger looking at me like I've got three heads or something. Got to get back on point… "anyway, 20,000 specific threats made against US targets every year, and with all that, it's still the ones who don't give you advance notice that you're worried about." Yeah, that seemed to do the trick, but God, he doesn't even work here and he seems to know what I'm thinking about Donna. Can't imagine I will be able to keep this up any longer than tonight. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Why did I just invite Donna in to meet Joe again? Shouldn't I be trying to keep my woman as far away from this guy, who I guess some would find handsome, as possible before he started getting any 'Cliff-Commander Wonderful-ideas'?!? I guess I wanted to impress her with my deduction skills – yeah, I'm a regular Sherlock Holmes over here. 

"You're a Republican!" What was it about Donna and Republicans?? Well, I'm about to change all that. 

"Yes." 

"Whoa." 

"Joe, its fine. Ainsley Hayes was a Republican." 

"It is not fine." Doesn't she understand – I cannot have another gomer Republican trying to steal my beautiful blonde woman from me – not again! 

"Why not?" 

"'Cause if you're a Republican, then you damned well better look like Ainsley Hayes." 

And then he tells us why he can't get a job with his own party and why he didn't sign the form. Donna is impressed. Can't have that now, can I? I need to up the stakes. 

"Joe, I'm going to recommend you to Leo McGarry." 

That seemed to do the trick. I love when Donna smiles at me like that – I guess she really does think I'm handsome and powerful. Now, on to the issue at hand! 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

I realize psychiatrists are supposed to be long-winded and talkative, but Stanley is really starting to get on my nerves. He's just chatting away as I watch Donna pack up for the night. 'Dude, shut up already!' You know, I told him I was fine like 20 minutes ago, that nothing happened, but he just keeps going on and on and on… 

WAIT!?! Donna just mouthed bye to me, gave me a small wave and walked out of the bullpen. No, that's just not going to do, not tonight. 

"Stanley, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm fine and I've got to go!" 

"Well, Josh, OK, but I really think you should…" 

That wouldn't be first time I hung up on Stanley – I'm sure he's used to it by now. I grab my backpack and suit jacket and sprint off toward the direction Donna just headed. It's now or never! 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

"DONNA!!!!" Wow, that really sounded like a girl screaming, didn't it! 

She had just opened her car door when she turned around to look at me. I'm really out of breath when I get to her – yeah, I know, I jog, but this was a full out sprint through the White House. Ever been there? It's not the smallest place in the world. 

I lean over and put my hands on my knees, trying to regain my breath. 

I didn't think this action would cause her to erupt into a worried frenzy. You would think that after 6 years I would realize that, but nope, not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. 

"Josh! Oh god, what's wrong? Did something happen when you were talking to Stanley? You know, he said that you really needed to see someone in person…" 

"Donna." I'm finally able to breathe normally and stand up straight. 

"… but I insisted, saying that you probably would only want to talk to him…" 

"Donna." 

"… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have pushed it… I was just afraid… I didn't want… I didn't know what I was going to do if you had… well, you know… again… I barely managed the first time and I didn't want to make another mistake…" 

She was staring at me with her bright blue eyes and she was rambling on and on. I really need her to be quiet now so I do the only thing I can think of. I kiss her. 

I'm pretty sure I surprised her. I've got hold of her by her face and she's just standing there – holding her purse in one hand and her keys in the other. Her lips are so soft and sweet… wait, I think she just might be kissing me back. I pull back and look her in the eyes. 

I smile at her as she finally opens her eyes and looks at me. 

"Sorry, but I saw an opening, so I decided to…" 

"You kissed me!" 

I chuckled. "That I did." 

"You were kissing me." 

"Yeah." 

"And then you quit kissing me!" 

"Yeah." 

And then she said something that I hadn't expected, but had been wishing for. "Why in the world did you quit doing that?" 

I gave her a full-on dimple smile as she dropped her purse and keys and wrapped her arms around my neck. I moved one arm to her waist and moved my other hand around to the back of her neck. 

The first kiss may have been sweet, but this kiss, this second kiss, was perfect. I pulled her as close to me as I could and backed her up till she was pressed between me and her car. She rubbed her foot up my leg and opened her mouth just a bit more at the same time. I'm pretty sure I could die a happy man right now! She tastes like coffee and chocolate – probably from when she was in the mess during the lockdown. If it hadn't occurred to me somewhere in the back of my head just exactly where we were standing, I would have taken her right here, against her car, but my Donnatella deserves better than that. I finally have to break the kiss when she grabs my ass. 

"Donna." 

"Josh – there you go, stopping the kissing again. Why are you doing that?" 

"Wait. I need to ask you something." That is really hard for me to get out since she's currently nibbling on my earlobe. I pull back and cradle her face in my hands. 

"I need to know that you weren't kidding before." 

"Kidding about what before." 

"About all that stuff you said before I went in to interview Joe. That gave me the courage to do this and if you were just kidding…" 

"Josh!" 

I just stare at her. God, has she always been this beautiful!?! 

"Would I be standing here right now, kissing you, if I didn't mean it! I meant every word – I've thought that way for a long time. I just wasn't sure if you took me seriously, what with the comment about the high-wire act and all…" 

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. You caught me off guard." 

She just smiled. "Yeah, that was my plan." 

God, this woman is evil – I just love that about her. 

"Josh?" 

"Yeah." 

"Can we get back to the kissing now?" 

"Well, Donnatella, I would love to, but see, it would seem that we are still standing in the parking lot of the White House and, as much as I would like to commence with the kissing again…" 

She just shook her head in agreement. I backed off and she bent down to pick up her keys and bag. She tossed her keys at me and walked around the car. 

"Then, Joshua, I think we should absolutely get out of here. I hear there is a great, very private place over in Georgetown that just might be perfect for the commencement of the kissing." 

She's brilliant. Have I mentioned that this woman, my love, is absolutely brilliant?!? 

I get in the car and she leans over and kisses me again. I take off out of the parking lot toward our destination. 

"Joshua, just one request." 

"What's that Donnatella?" 

"Remember to stop for the redlights. I don't really want you to get a ticket in my car." 

I just laugh as I turn the corner toward my townhouse. 


End file.
